I receive numerous emails on the subject of dearly loved pets, and what happens to them when their time arrives to make the transition from physical life.

Well first we need once again to re-iterate the greatest truth; everything is one. We are all each other and all their Is including "animals". We only differ in terms of form and abilities.

Many people, most unfortunately, still believe human beings to be so superior to animals that animals should not enjoy the same status, either during physical life or after passing on. This is an extremely unfortunate and erroneous perception, due for most part to the still very egocentric attitude of much of mankind today, in believing human beings to be the superior creatures of the Universe, and also often due to the dogma of orthodox religion.

Indeed it should be noted that most religions will, even today still not even acknowledge equal status of female human beings to their male counterparts, much less to members of the animal world.

This perceived superiority of humans over animals has also, very unfortunately indeed been exacerbated by to the way humans perceive and therefore treat animals generally. This includes using animals for food, labour, entertainment, hunting, and of course as pets.

Pets of course are generally treated very well, and are usually loved and often respected by their human companions, and which level of love and respect is shared and returned equally by the pet.

This perception of the status of animals should be viewed and understood much more deeply both from a Universal perspective, and also from a historical, physical perspective.

In terms of the grand Universal scheme of things, all life without any exception whatsoever is a completely equal aspect and expression of God. The meaning of the words "God made man in his own image" has been drastically misunderstood and misinterpreted by both the creed and dogma of orthodox religion, and also by the human ego generally, being deemed to mean literally that humans physically look identical to the personified God. Humans accordingly believe they hold some sort of special position in the Universe, all other forms of life being subordinate to the humanrace.

However, the true "image" of God is pure Spirit, the very same pure Spirit of which everything and everyone, including all animals are equal aspects, and all are therefore equal aspects of The Source, The First Cause of God. From a physical perspective most humans still view animals as inferior and subordinate, accordingly causing many humans to treat and perceive animals in this way. The reality is however that no animal life whatsoever is in any way inferior to human beings, animals simply being different aspects and expressions of God, differing only in terms of appearance, abilities and priorities.

Humans for the most part, still being governed by the ego, perceive all life relative to human life as being inferior. In fact as all humans will discover after eventually evolving to much higher levels of Spiritual life, to the much more advanced Beings of the inner Spiritual levels of life and reality, mankind today is by comparison, equivalent to what humans on Earth now perceive to be the very lowest forms of single celled organisms. To these advanced Beings of the inner spheres of life, earthly man seems barely capable of even any sort of thought processes. And yet these inner Beings do not in any way whatsoever perceive earthly man to be inferior or subordinate in any way, but rather perceive earthly man with Unconditional Love, as equal aspects of God who are simply further down the path of the evolution of the individual, immortal Spirit of the journey back to The Source, The First Cause, God.

All animals are therefore equal to human beings, equal aspects of God. The progression of animals after physical death is therefore no different to that of humans, all being relative and specific to each individual type of animal species including human beings. All animals, like humans are Spirit, and accordingly, like humans survive the death of the physical body. For all those who mourn the passing of a beloved pet, please be absolutely and completely assured your pet is safe and well, and is enjoying the peace, harmony and happiness of the inner worlds. Please also be absolutely assured your pet and will not forget their human companions. Just as humans who have passed on to the inner worlds frequently visit loved relatives and friends who are still living in the physical world, so too do animals.

Your pet might not be any longer by your side in a physical body, but your pet will most assuredly still be with you in Spirit, just as he or she was with you before passing on to the inner worlds.

Your pet will still maintain exactly the same love, trust and loyalty as they ever did in physical life, and will continue to express that same love, trust and loyalty from the inner worlds.

Different species of animals progress in different ways after physical death. Animals who were particularly close to humans in physical life, for example dogs, cats, and other pets, assume a special affinity to the human Spirit, elevating and enabling them to retain a higher level of individuality and closeness to their human companions. We are advised by inner Spiritual beings that animals who were not particularly close to humans, for example so called "wild" animals, continue to survive after physical death within a group Soul of their own species, in a very similar way as they did in fact during their physical life on Earth, continuing to exist often as part of a herd or group animal Mind.

There is a vast amount of evidence to prove the continuity of life after the physical death of animals, and particularly pets. During séances for example pet cats and dogs frequently appear before their human companions who are present at the séance, during which they make every possible effort to make their presence known.

Just as with human Spirit communication, the way in which the pet makes it's presence known can vary considerably, but which includes making its usual characteristic noises in the case of the "direct voice" method of communication, to brushing against the human companion with his or her Etheric animal body, to even fully visible materialisation.

Other animals who are still physically living, can also "see" or perceive deceased animals with their natural inner Spiritual abilities, and very often can and do react to the Spirit of the animal in exactly the same way as they did when the animal, often a companion, was still physically alive. Cats and dogs often have the highly developed psychic abilities that most humans have lost over time, as will be discussed later in this book, and "seeing" their former living companions, pets of the same human during physical life, seems perfectly normal.

Pets are never alone after passing from the physical world. Apart from their ability to visit human companions whenever they wish to do so, they are also often befriended by a human Soul within the Astral worlds who will happily look after the pet on behalf of the still living human companion. This is exactly the same situation as occurs when a child passes on before his or her parents; there are always plenty of people within the Astral worlds who will look after children and pets alike.

Very often during a séance a Spirit will appear accompanied by the pet of one of the members of the séance, and which Spirit will provide complete assurance that the pet is being very well looked after. Very often, as previously mentioned, the pet will also make its own presence felt in various ways. Pets do not need formal séance conditions in order to do this. Very often a pet having passed on can make his or her presence felt in varying ways while visiting their human companion. These ways can vary anywhere between a "feeling" of a presence, to actually "seeing" the animal very briefly while in a psychically receptive state of Mind, to, as has often happened, actually physically hearing the animal, sometimes very clearly indeed almost as if he or she where still physically alive in the same room. People who have some degree of psychic or clairvoyant abilities can also very often see their deceased pet just as if they were still physically living.

Many people have felt the presence of their pet at night while lying in bed just before or after sleep. This presence can often be felt in the form of foot steps walking over you notwithstanding the fact the room is empty. If you lie still, this is very unmistakable, and identical to the the behaviour of the pet in physical life.

You can be absolutely sure therefore that pets, and indeed all animals transition to the Astral worlds, to the "heaven" worlds just as humans do, and not only will they remain constant friends and companions after passing, they will also be waiting, that upon the passing of their human companion both will be reunited once again. As we will discuss later in this book, Unconditional Love is the most powerful vibration, Energy, force, in the Universe, a force keeping Spirits of both humans and animals alike together.

The love between an animal and a human companion is totally unconditional, and does not diminish when the time comes for physically passing from the physical world to the next stage of life, as will happen with all animals and humans alike sooner or later, just as later all loved ones, animal or human will be reunited once again in the harmony of the Astral worlds.

Just as with humans who have "passed over", a pet will know, beyond doubt how their previous companion feels about them, and will even know their thoughts and emotions.

So always know that your pet is safe, well and happy, loves you every bit as much as in the physical world, and greatly appreciate being sent feelings of love, particularly when they are visiting.

Finally; here is a wonderful and true real life example of the faith of animals after passing:

"Here is the story about our ghost dog. His name is Zack.

A little over three years ago my wife's mother died of cancer. When she did she left behind two dogs. Both are dachshunds. The female named Heidi we still have and her son Zack is the subject of this story.

Zack had been very abused by my brother in law that still lived at home even though he is 51 years old. Zack was always happy to see us when we visited. I guess because he was well treated while we were there.

My wife's mother lived in Wisconsin and we live in Florida. When she died she left nothing behind but a rented house full of stuff. All the siblings began to argue about the possessions and it was suggested by a couple of the brothers that the dogs should be put to sleep. Well my wife would see none of that and so I had to drive to Wisconsin for both the funeral and to bring back the dogs. So Zack's new life began.

As soon as I got the dogs home I had to give them baths as they stunk bad. Of course not being used to baths they resisted. But after a few months they got used to the weekly bath.

Zack was a very overweight dog. His chest dragged the ground and he was not able to make a walk from the house to the mailbox. After a while his diet and daily walks began to slim him down and he could actually walk around the block. He was a cool dog that easily learned many tricks and loved the attention. My son was really taken with him and Zack slept curled up next to my son every night.

After we had him for a bit more than a year he came down with renal failure and crones disease. After a week of suffering he died. Our neighbor took the body for disposal.

We had given him a good life for the thirteen months we had him, unfortunately we did not overcome his weight problem fast enough. However I believe that Zack was very grateful.

A few days later my daughter saw Zack standing in the door. She looked again and he was gone. Since that incident she has seen him many many times, almost daily. I too have seen him. One day I came home and as I walked in the door he came to greet me. I even bent down to pet him not remembering he was dead. As soon as I touched him he disappeared. I have seen him many other times walking down the hall way, going into my sons room. I have heard him as he clicked his way across the kitchen floor. (his toenails would click as he walked across the linoleum) I would check and there would not be a visible dog and Heidi would still be in her bed. (she is now 19 years old and has outlived all her offspring) The sightings are getting fewer for me about once or twice a week, while my daughter sees him only about once a week.

So we have a ghost dog and we are happy that he hangs around making sure we are safe as he was a good guard dog".

I would like to thank Ralston for generously sending me this account which, I am sure, will give comfort to many owners of loved pets who have made the same transition that all life experiences.